The formation of a new nonprofit organization, Ethlabs, aims to prepare the Ethereum network for increased institutional use, with backing from notable figures and entities including Joe Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum, and firms like Bitmine and Sharplink. Announced on June 23, 2026, this initiative seeks to address the anticipated demand from stablecoins, tokenization, and AI applications that are increasingly converging on Ethereum as a settlement layer.
Sharplink emphasized that Ethlabs will provide a stable funding source for ongoing research and development, bringing together key technologists who have been pivotal in Ethereum's upgrades over the past decade. The organization was established in response to recent warnings regarding a funding crisis within the Ethereum Foundation, particularly following the departure of co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang.
Ethlabs was co-founded by five former senior researchers from the Ethereum Foundation: Ansgar Dietrichs, Barnabé Monnot, Caspar Schwarz-Schilling, Josh Rudolf, and Julian Ma. Lubin remarked that this initiative will provide a dedicated space for researchers and developers, essential for Ethereum's evolution and future adoption.